1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to beverage containers having internal drinking straw access, mainly, a compartmented beverage container having individual compartment drinking straw means so that more than one user can drink from the same container in a convenient, clean and sanitary manner. In addition, this straw accessible compartmented beverage container can provide small quantities of different beverages, each beverage to be consumed at the desire of the user. Each beverage can remain pressurized and sanitary until accessed by drinking straw means.
2. Prior Art
Currently, a combination comprising a beverage container equipped to hold more than one beverage with each beverage having individual drinking straw access does not exist. Various designs have been proposed in the prior art for straw equipped beverage containers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,316 granted to Hiroshige, describes a single compartment liquid container with a spring activated straw designed to pop out of a container mouth when a container seal is removed. The present invention has no spring requirement. U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,827 discloses a single compartment beverage container with a rotatable tab designed to pull up and release a drinking straw. There is no rotatable tab in the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,721 granted to Cornell, et at, describes a two straw equipped single compartment beverage container. In this case, a straw dispensing mechanism employs a float. U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,034 granted to Walthers discloses a combination outer drink container designed to deliver a drink by straw means and an inner sports spray bottle container designed to spray a cooling liquid. While a dual chambered container is disclosed, each chamber has an entirely separate structure and function. None of the references cited above suggest or teach a compartmented container holding distinctive beverages, each beverage having easily accessed drinking straw means.
The present invention addresses a need for a multi liquid container where each liquid can be separately, sanitarily and safely accessed by drinking straw means. At present, one, two and three liter beverage containers contain one liquid each. They are not compartmented. Once opened, if pressurized, the liquid can lose carbonation and become stale. Also, these one, two and three liter beverage containers have single openings without self contained straw access means. If more than one user drinks directly from the container, disease organism transmission is a threat.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a single container having a plurality of beverage containing compartments, each compartment having an independent means for quick drinking straw beverage delivery.
Another primary objective of the present invention is to provide a means for sanitary and safe beverage drinking from one container by two or more individuals.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a compartmented container having separate compartment drinking straws wherein the drinking straws come in a variety of sizes.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a compartment container having separate drinking straw means for each compartment so that a beverage can be consumed from one compartment while another or the same beverage remains pressurized and sealed in another compartment.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide an attractive, convenient easily handled container for sanitary drinking by more than one individual.
The foregoing objectives and advantages are achieved by the present invention comprising a multi compartmented container as described in patent Application Ser. No. 09/933,703, incorporated herein by reference. In the present invention, each compartment has a shoulder located concave depression and each depression houses a compressed partially corrugated straw held in place by hinged cap means. Upon cap opening and straw release, the corrugated straw springs forth to enable a user to enjoy a beverage contained within the compartment. A straw access assembly is provided for each outer container compartment. If a drinking straw is damaged, easy one step replacement is possible. Drinking straws can vary in size depending on the thickness of a beverage within a compartment.
The above mentioned objectives and features of the present invention along with novel features that characterize the present invention will become apparent and better understood by those skilled in the art from the subsequent description, appended claims and accompanying drawings in which are illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention.